Just spent $11 a bale for 2nd cut square bales for the horses. They are longer then normal and heavier must have had a bad setup. Normally we pay 6-8 dollars a square bale. We actually have a small field that we mow and bale in round bales for the cows that I was thinking of using for the horses eventually (would switch to square bales for easy storage and feeding of the horses) instead of the cows. There is alot of alfalfa and clover in that one.

1st cutting is usually better because of spring rains and fertilize. Some farmers here used amonia to try to boost the second cutting, but no rain, it hasn't done much. Their fields are green but still as high as you'd mow your yard. I'd never heard of bailing corn stalks, we don't have big corn fields here. I guess that'd work, after you picked it. I know we'll store more hay indoors from now on.

Baled corn stocks. Corn stocks were/are used as bedding along with oat and wheat straw.

Neighbor's 1st cutting was pretty good. Neighbor cut his 2nd cutting at about 6" to 8" tall - lack of rain. Neighbor is just finishing up his 3rd cutting - which is pretty good due to recent rain.

There is usually a number of hay for sale advertisements in the local papers. Only one advertisement this week with no prices listed. Last advertised price was in the $55- TO $65- per large round bale.

Rudi/Brandon
I have always understood the reverse of the cuttings.
1st is usually the least expensive as the lot more stem verse leaves , grasses etc are more abundant.
3rd usually bring the premium Less stems and more leafy. clean , of course ,less bales as well.

Same general rule here (first is worse), although it depends on the type of grass/legume and when it's harvested. Timothy, for instance, is better the second time around while an early cut on orchard grass is probably better the first time around. And if it's hot and dry, the second cut could be much more "twiggy" for any grass. For the farms able to get it, the third and (this year) a fourth cut on well managed and fertilized clover is spectacular. I believe I'd eat it!

I've been paying about $365 a ton for alfalfa for my horses here in southern california. Works out to about $11.75 for an 80lb bail. Here we get about 4-5 cuttings a year. Looks like the midwest - eastern hay might be a bargain for me.

Around here it's $2.00 square bale if you get it from the barn for fescue/orchard grass, $1.50 picked up out of the field. $25.00 for small rounds, $50.00 for large. $4.00 sq. bale/ Alphafa. Those prices were this spring.......I don't know what they are now. We had a pretty good hay crop this year. Most around here got 2 cuts and we get our winter hay ASAP.

Baled Corn stalks would be modern stover. Years ago, and even today some Amish stack stover (corn stalks) in the fields to dry and shed moisture from rain or snow. It would be fed through the winter. Also back when corn was brought in and stored as ears, it might be shelled at a mill. Ground cobs have roughfully the same feed value as shelled corn by weight. Of course by volume it is another story. Friends of mine fed ground up cobs to beef. They also fed used brewers grains.
Our ethenol plants have brewers grains left over from the fermenting to make the alcohol. They can be helpful as a feed supliment for cows. I have no knowledge on using brewers grains with horses. I don't have any experience with them for hogs either, though I imagine they would work well, though I would check it with Coop Ext first.

Bill

"Life's tough.It's even tougher if you're stupid."- John Wayne

" We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."- Aesop

$7.50 a small square bale here. The sad part of that is the farmer that mows, rakes and bales my back 10 acres and FIL back 40 acres, left both plots standing for the 2nd and 3rd mowing this year.

Since i got the demo sickle mower working now, thanks to the Dotson Brothers, i am thinking i might as well put her to work and mow it myself, pick up a rake some where and either have same neighbor bale it, or go to neighbor on other side.

Back home we ALWAYS mowed on Memorial day, 4th of July and after Labor day. This IDIOT mows, 4th of July. Course he aint doing it to make money, just to feed his cows. Plus he has to pay us $20 a bale that he cuts, rakes and bales.

John(videodoc) wrote:$7.50 a small square bale here. The sad part of that is the farmer that mows, rakes and bales my back 10 acres and FIL back 40 acres, left both plots standing for the 2nd and 3rd mowing this year.

Plus he has to pay us $20 a bale that he cuts, rakes and bales.

I would say he isn't an idiot if he doesn't want to go in the hole by $12.50 a bale.